Nick Hildebrandt and Brent Savage, one of Australia’s most respected hospitality duos and co-owners of The Bentley Restaurant Group, have announced an evolution of their Sydney CBD venue Monopole. From Tuesday 2 July, and following 12 years as one of Australia’s leading wine-focused bars and restaurants, Monopole will be a French restaurant – with a new look dining room, a menu of classic French dishes executed through the Bentley Restaurant Group lens, and an even greater focus on French wine, aperitifs and digestifs.
Hildebrandt, co-owner and sommelier said: “Monopole will always be a really special venue to Brent and I. When we opened it as a wine bar in Potts Point 12 years ago, we didn’t quite realise the impact it would have. We’ve been thinking a lot over the last couple of years about what the next incarnation of Monopole would be. When we moved Monopole into the CBD a few years ago, it has leant French through the wine and the menu and now we’ve decided to go all in! The new version of Monopole won’t be a bistro, nor a brasserie, it will be a French restaurant. The space feels refined, the wines and broader beverages are heavily French, and Brent has designed a menu of French classics done our way.”
Hildebrandt and Savage have worked with long-term creative collaborator Pascale Gomes-McNabb to elevate the dining room with velvet curtains adoring the entrance, sheer curtains over the floor to ceiling windows, vintage wine fair posters covering the walls and antique light fittings. The new direction will also see all the introduction of all new ivory plateware.
Savage, co-owner and chef said: “I have had a lot of fun designing this menu with our group head chef Aiden Stevens. The focus has been on classic French dishes such as boudin blanc, fish quenelles and pot au feu. This is an exciting chapter for Monopole. After 12 successful years, I feel this is a natural progression for Monopole. We’re looking forward to introducing the ‘new’ Monopole to our incredibly loyal customers.”
The opening menu includes: quenelle de poisson (poached fish quenelles with red fish bisque); boudin blanc de homard (marron sausage and tail with morels and tarragon butter); vol-au-vent de poulet et crustacés (Sommerlad chicken and Balmain bug vol-au-vent); beef brisket pot au feu; and burger de canard (duck burger with pickles, Comte and hot sauce, with the option to add duck liver parfait). Desserts include a mousse au chocolat, and baba au Calvados.
Also on offer is a fixed price menu, available for lunch and reservations before 6pm. The menu heroes dishes from the main menu including: mille-feuille d’anguille fumée (smoked eel mille-feuille); eschalot tarte tatin; and a dessert of Chartreuse granita, vanilla ice cream and green apple. The fixed price menuis offered at $55 for two courses and three courses for $70. Additionally there is also a five course Monopole menu for $90 per person.
The Monopole wine program has leant heavily French over the last few years, and the team are doubling down on that focus. Hildebrandt recently spent a few weeks in France visiting wine producers in Champagne, Alsace and Burgundy. There will also be a strong showing of cult French liqueur Chartreuse and house cocktails based on the great French liquors and aperitifs.
To celebrate Monopole’s new French focus, the restaurant will open on Sunday 14July to celebrate Bastille Day with a specially designed menu and will be also be hosting cult Champagne producer Pierre Gimonnet for a spectacular Champagne dinner on 19 July.
Monopole is one of six venues in Hildebrandt and Savage’s The Bentley Restaurant Group, which also includes Bentley Restaurant + Bar, Cirrus, King Clarence, Yellow and Brasserie 1930. All venues in the group currently hold two hats in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.
Monopole is open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday and lunch Wednesday to Friday.
Monopole
16/20 Curtin Place, Sydney
www.bentleyrestaurantgroup.com.au/monopole
@monopole_sydney